Private Jet Interior: Real luxury!


Most of us think that spending a few hundred dollars for a worn-out leather seat, maybe a new cup holder for our bottled water, and a few extra inches of legroom is luxury in a private jet interior. If this is your idea of luxury then you don’t know what luxury is.

Imagine dropping $40 million into private jet aircraft for starters, then plunk down another $10-$30 million on the finest plush carpeting, the rarest of fine woods, the most advanced entertainment systems then add palatial bedrooms to top it off before it’s final rollout.

You have just moved from reality to “The Mile High Club”

Talk about the ultimate “Pimp My Ride”. Corporations and the super rich are shelling out money like a teenager with his first car, dropping every penny he’s got on his first set of wheels. The corporation and super-rich spare no expense to make these private jets every bit a luxurious as the homes, hotels and offices they are accustomed to. The demand that the super-rich have required has fostered a new industry called “completion centers” These completion centers perform the same function as the custom hot rod shows or motorcycle shops perform. These shops are setting a new standard on what it means to fly private and fly in style.

What this new industry is doing is turning the private jet interiors into a place that you can spend 12 to 14 hours in luxury.

Unlike the cattle drives of the air in which most people fly, to describe the work that is done to these flying palaces as comfortable would be a gross understatement. So just what are some of the requirements of the corporations and the rich and famous? Try bedrooms and lavatories with gold plated fixtures, multiple kitchens and office suites. State of the art digital entertainment systems, antiques and just about anything your imagination and pocketbook can think of.

And the icing on the cake? A crew and staff with personal assistants, chefs an even a masseuse if that is what you so desire. With private jet interiors, the sky is the limit.

With some of the clients’ involved in these high- priced jets, security is also a major concern. Security and privacy aren't the only considerations. Companies outfitting supped-up planes have to satisfy the whims of clients who want air palaces, while at the same time watching the plane's weight and abiding by strict government rules that dictate what a jet can safely contain.

The bottom line, if you have the money and the desire, you can have one of the private jets tricked out to fit you every whim. Welcome to the real world of the rich and famous!

If your like me you are tired of the long lines delays and security check points. Well good news has arrived. New technologies have ushered in small private jets or micro jets as they are referred to. These technologies include more efficient manufacturing systems, the latest and greatest high-tech digital avionics, and lighter and more powerful engines. These microjets can fly up to six passengers at literally hundreds of miles an hour, at a cost of about 1 million, not a high price as compared to today’s private jets. Example: Cessna’s entry-level private jet, the CJ1, costs about $4.2 million.

Maybe that still too steep for your budget, not to worry- you can still get the opportunity to fly these craft as Air-taxi companies will use the jets for their on-demand travel to local and regional airports nationwide, thereby avoiding the congestion of major hubs and delivering you closer to your destination.

The ingenuity of the American people strikes again! The bargain basement mfg costs developed by jet manufacturing companies, should allow small-plane passengers to enjoy all the convenience of a private jet. Think of it, no lines, check in, or delays- for the price of a business-class airline ticket or even cheaper. No baggage claim or security lines to wait in. DayJet in Delray Beach, Florida, has ordered 239 eclipse 500s made by Eclipse Aviation in Albuquerque, and plans to launce service as early as spring.

The service does no come without it drawbacks. Privacy for example is the size of a large sedan; these aircraft have little room for fancy extras, such as lavatory doors. The toilet in the Cessna’s Citation Mustang is separated from the cabin by a mere curtain. Austrian-based Diamond Aircraft Industries, makers of the five-seater D-Jet, may omit the bathroom altogether. The best advice is your modesty and your second cup of coffee on the ground. Let’s take a look at the three small private jets or micro jets that are on the horizon.

The Plane: Eclipse 500
The Company: Eclipse CEO Vern Raburn, a veteran of Microsoft, has raised more than $400 million in start-up funds and now has five prototypes being flight-tested.
The Key Technology: Raburn’s secret to cost savings is a fully automated, ultrafast manufacturing technology called friction-stir welding, which eliminates the need for rivet guns.
The Specs: $1.47 million, Six seats (including crew), Cruise speed: 432 mph
The Time Frame:Commercial flights are expected next spring.

The Plane: Citation Mustang
The Company: Industry veteran Cessna builds a range of aircraft, from small, propeller-driven planes to top-end business jets.
The Key Technology: The Integrated Garmin G1000 avionics digital display replaces most switches and dial gauges. This gives pilots better situational awareness by plotting out potential hazards on a map.
The Specs: $2.4 million, Six seats (including crew), Cruise speed: 391 mph
The Time Frame:Commercial flights should begin in 2006

The Plane: Diamond D-Jet
The Company:Austrian aviation company
Diamond is smaller than Cessna but more established than Eclipse; the D-Jet is its first jet-powered model.
The Key Technology: Made from composites, as Formula One racing cars are, the D-Jet will be lighter, stronger and more aerodynamic than a comparable aircraft made of aluminum.
The Specs: About $1 million, Five seats (including crew), Cruise speed: 363 mph
The Time Frame:Commercial flights are expected by 2007.

The bottom line is that when the cost to build a small private jet or micro jet drops- so will the cost charter and we can have live like the rich and famous

Many airlines are adjusting the policies for frequent flyer miles. The miles that you have been saving for a special trip or vacation may soon be at risk. Some airlines send a notice to you by mail, provided the correct address is on file. Other airlines may notify you by email, provided the notice does not get stopped by your email filter. In other cases the airline may not notify you at all. Rather than take chances, review your frequent flyer policy and the status of the miles that you have earned.

The following are a few of the airline policies current at the time of this writing, and are subject to change.

AirTran A+ Rewards expire 12 months after earned, so be prepared to use your miles within the year, or lose them

Alaska Mileage Plan miles expire after 3 years of inactivity, so be sure to fly on Alaska at least once every three years to keep your miles active

Aloha Airlines AlohaPass miles don't expire. Mahalo Aloha Airlines.

America West Dividend Miles expire after 18 months of inactivity, so plan to at least once every year and a half.

American Airlines AAdvantage Miles expire after 36 months of inactivity, so plan to fly American every 36 months if you want to continue earning miles

ATA Travel Awards points expire after 24 months, so use them before the two years are up

Continental offers OnePass and currently does not cancel or expire miles, so save up your miles for a special trip

Delta Skymiles previous program preserved for 36 months have been been reduced to expire after 24 months of inactivity, or until Delta expires, whichever comes first

Frontier Airlines EarlyReturns miles expire after two years of inactivity, thus the appropriately name program, Early Returns

Hawaiian Airlines HawaiianMiles expire after 36 months of inactivity, can you really wait three years to get back to Hawaii?

JetBlue TrueBlue miles expire 1 year after the miles are earned, so you may not get a chance to use your frequent flyer miles, but at least the rates are low

Midwest offers Midwest Miles that expire if no additional miles are earned in 36 months, not very original, but neither is the program name

Northwest Airlines WorldPerks miles expire if none are earned in 3 calendar years, because it may take three years to earn enough points to see the world

Southwest Rapid Rewards credits expire after 24 months, earn them rapidly and use them rapidly

United Airlines Mileage Plus lasts for 36 months until December 31, and then they will expire after 18 months

US Airways Dividend Miles were previously preserved for 36 months, now expire after 18 months of inactivity, just like the America West program

What do you do if your miles are about to expire and you do not have enough for that dream vacation? Spend your miles elsewhere, combine them or donate them. Many frequent flyer programs offer alternative ways to spend your hard earned miles. Many airlines offer the option to cash in your mileage credits for magazine or newspaper subscriptions, or use the credits towards other benefit purchases. Look at the affiliate airlines to determine if there is an opportunity for you to transfer miles to another airline partner and combine your miles for a much deserved getaway.

AirTran Airways, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Continental Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Midwest Airlines, Northwest Airlines, United Air Lines and US Airways participate in Operation Hero Miles, a program that enables you to easily donate unused frequent flyer miles to family members of wounded troops traveling to military hospitals to visit injured loved ones. For more information, please visit http://www.heromiles.org/

If you choose to donate your accumulated and unused frequent flyer miles to the Red Cross, the IRS even acknowledges this as a donation and a deduction. Just imagine, you can donate unused miles before they expire and the IRS recognizes it as a donation. America West FlightFund members may donate miles in 5000 mile increments into the Miles of Hope Program. Continental makes it easy for OnePass frequent flyer members to donate mileage through the web site or by calling customer service. Northwest Airlines offers two programs, you can donate a minimum of 5000 miles to the Red Cross, or you can donate $50 to the Red Cross and receive 500 WorldPerk frequent flyer miles in return. United Airlines frequent flyers may also participate with a minimum donation of 1000 miles. The frequent flyer miles collected by the Red Cross are used exclusively for disaster response. For more information, please visit http://www.redcross.org/donate/donatemiles.html